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peckenpaugh2020-06-01 11:18 am
peckishmods) wrote in peckenpaugh2020-06-01 11:18 am
Sticking a hand in frozen flame is uncomfortable, but not strictly painful. Holding it there for long might cause a burn, though. Be careful!
Every poke and prod of the (contextually) giant candle causes it to glow gold. Looks like Merlin and Imogen have found the linchpin!
Every poke and prod of the (contextually) giant candle causes it to glow gold. Looks like Merlin and Imogen have found the linchpin!
Winter drops the leaf and wipes her hand off on her dress, wrinkling her nose in distaste. Blech.
"Easier said than done," she says, following behind the lot of them finally, still scanning the area as she moves, half in wonder, half out of paranoia. "Maybe...Climb up on Pepsi, then hop across Ms. Treetops back to get up on the table?" A pause. "Going to get Pouch to find me a b-broom when we get out of here."
"Easier said than done," she says, following behind the lot of them finally, still scanning the area as she moves, half in wonder, half out of paranoia. "Maybe...Climb up on Pepsi, then hop across Ms. Treetops back to get up on the table?" A pause. "Going to get Pouch to find me a b-broom when we get out of here."
“We’ll just all swap tree spit, today.” Is all of Chanel’s input.
But she’s nervous about the fact that her contribution didn’t spark anything more than a momentary burst of color. While the others play with fire, she resolves herself to dig into the ground and slap a handful of earth on to the tree. Her manicure’s ruined anyhow.
But she’s nervous about the fact that her contribution didn’t spark anything more than a momentary burst of color. While the others play with fire, she resolves herself to dig into the ground and slap a handful of earth on to the tree. Her manicure’s ruined anyhow.
Tink. Peter. Of course.
Despite all the giddy optimism crackling through this memory, Eddy feels a creeping sense of dread while watching it unfold. He doesn't need to recognize this man to guess what's happening here. When the words heart of the land are uttered, that confirms it and he watches with rapt curiosity when Pouch touches his chest.
It's so small. Eddy steps closer to the pair to get a better look, and one hand slips out of his NASA hoodie (a far more comforting alternative to his prom wear) to reach for the maple key but he hesitates, in awe of the little thing. "One of them helicopters," he says quietly to the others. "Well, half of one."
Despite all the giddy optimism crackling through this memory, Eddy feels a creeping sense of dread while watching it unfold. He doesn't need to recognize this man to guess what's happening here. When the words heart of the land are uttered, that confirms it and he watches with rapt curiosity when Pouch touches his chest.
It's so small. Eddy steps closer to the pair to get a better look, and one hand slips out of his NASA hoodie (a far more comforting alternative to his prom wear) to reach for the maple key but he hesitates, in awe of the little thing. "One of them helicopters," he says quietly to the others. "Well, half of one."
While the others are busy solving the emblems, Armani's still crouching around the roots. Itching to use a Talisman but not having seen an opportunity until now, he reaches into his garter purse to pull out a Ziploc bag. Within the Ziploc bag is a dead snake. Which he takes out and drops down one of the Muscheron holes.
Hmm, memories are so odd. Of course, Zippy couldn't have known who was knocking at his door but he might remember it in retrospect. The space doesn't feel dangerous though. Just heavy with grief.
"Nothing is sparkling on sight," she reports and begins touching the paperwork on Mr. Zebrowski's desk in the hopes of changing that. "He does have a thing for personalized stationery though." Her fingers light across the bank statements, official mayoral letterhead, the Zippy's Lips notepad, and land finally on the crumpled up speech.
"Nothing is sparkling on sight," she reports and begins touching the paperwork on Mr. Zebrowski's desk in the hopes of changing that. "He does have a thing for personalized stationery though." Her fingers light across the bank statements, official mayoral letterhead, the Zippy's Lips notepad, and land finally on the crumpled up speech.
The crumpled speech glows a soft gold as Viola's fingers brush the page. While some of Zippy's stationery has a glowing charm on it, this seems to be of the supernatural sort.
Even though he knows this is a memory, Lionel has the urge to intervene. Knock Mr. Bland's hand away. Stop the exchange from ever taking place. But he doesn't. They can't stop this from happening. It's done. The blood of man has already been spilled.
A chill goes down Lionel's spine. They're not in Xenia's memory anymore. No more picturesque fields. No more fireworks. No more selfies with his roommates. He's scared, unsettled. Thoughts lingering on rescuing Xenia, on the four of them being reunited, Lionel says a quiet, "Expecto Patronum." A warmth returns to him in the presence of the spectral octopus.
"Is that the linchpin," he asks Eddy.
A chill goes down Lionel's spine. They're not in Xenia's memory anymore. No more picturesque fields. No more fireworks. No more selfies with his roommates. He's scared, unsettled. Thoughts lingering on rescuing Xenia, on the four of them being reunited, Lionel says a quiet, "Expecto Patronum." A warmth returns to him in the presence of the spectral octopus.
"Is that the linchpin," he asks Eddy.
Edited 2020-06-08 17:03 (UTC)
Earth pressed to the Thorntrail symbol turns the lines a deep rust red, the color of blood. All that power spreads back toward Chanel, the feeling of certainty far stronger than before, buzzing beneath her skin, humming in her bones.
The flower-skinned magimagicicada starts to move, pressing their splayed fingers over the Thorntrail symbol, buds flourishing from the contact, spreading from the cicada to the tree.
The magimagicicada freezes once more, but the cicadas above continue to sing. Cries of hope, of confidence, even as their tree goes right on wilting.
Meanwhile, at the root of the tree, Armani's snake talisman disappears down the hole. It seems for a moment that that is the end of it, but as the cicadas cries grow louder, something in there moves.
A tiny button muscheron wheels something out toward Armani, looks up at him with its two beady dot eyes and smiles wide. "Itza youz!" says the little thing, gesturing with tiny hands toward the prize it has given before scurrying away, disappearing like dandelion fluff blown away in a breeze: a familiar pink tamagotchi, once gifted to him before for returning something to the tree. This certainly doesn't belong here. Not in 1989. When Armani touches it, it radiates some strange power it hadn't before. Maybe this can help him somehow, if he's ever in danger. [Armani will be able to keep the muscheron gift once he has left this memory.]
The flower-skinned magimagicicada starts to move, pressing their splayed fingers over the Thorntrail symbol, buds flourishing from the contact, spreading from the cicada to the tree.
The magimagicicada freezes once more, but the cicadas above continue to sing. Cries of hope, of confidence, even as their tree goes right on wilting.
Meanwhile, at the root of the tree, Armani's snake talisman disappears down the hole. It seems for a moment that that is the end of it, but as the cicadas cries grow louder, something in there moves.
A tiny button muscheron wheels something out toward Armani, looks up at him with its two beady dot eyes and smiles wide. "Itza youz!" says the little thing, gesturing with tiny hands toward the prize it has given before scurrying away, disappearing like dandelion fluff blown away in a breeze: a familiar pink tamagotchi, once gifted to him before for returning something to the tree. This certainly doesn't belong here. Not in 1989. When Armani touches it, it radiates some strange power it hadn't before. Maybe this can help him somehow, if he's ever in danger. [Armani will be able to keep the muscheron gift once he has left this memory.]
Edited 2020-06-08 17:29 (UTC)
Eddy brushes a finger tip lightly against the maple key at Lionel's prompting. It feels invasive, touching someone's heart, but then all of this does. Best to keep pressing through and reverse what damage they still can.
Presley makes a face. Even saving the school and everyone in it will not be enough to get him on a broom. "Already bad enough we have to scale the evil tree," Presley mutters. He scans their surroundings, looking for alternate routes, but... Winter's right. The table is too tall. At minimum, they'll have to use Ms. Treetops' frozen body as leverage.
He looks back at Zero Sugar Pepsi. "If we're doing this, we should be careful." A giant cactus kitten is still a cactus. He walks around Pepsi, looking for the least spiky spot to start with.
He looks back at Zero Sugar Pepsi. "If we're doing this, we should be careful." A giant cactus kitten is still a cactus. He walks around Pepsi, looking for the least spiky spot to start with.
"That's the glow we're looking for," Imogen crows proudly. Probably, anyway.
She bats Merlin's hand out of the fire to see how it feels on her own skin, then threads her fingers into his.
"This was like, the easiest one I've done so far."
She bats Merlin's hand out of the fire to see how it feels on her own skin, then threads her fingers into his.
"This was like, the easiest one I've done so far."
Merlin doesn't even have time to complain about Imogen swatting his hand away before her callused fingers are slipping between his in an unexpected gesture of affection that renders him momentarily silent. He smiles at the floor before shrugging and retorting as casually as he can, "Yeah? Think we scared the monsters off or what?"
Edited 2020-06-08 17:54 (UTC)
While Eddy and Lionel take in the scene, Jupiter walks right past the weird old guy, mindful that she doesn't disturb the fairy ring (bad luck!), and up to the line of cultists.
Oh, these are those masks from the poetry club, she wants to point out, but perhaps now isn't the time. Instead, knowing that this isn't a linchpin, but curious regardless, she tries to lift one to see what's beneath.
Oh, these are those masks from the poetry club, she wants to point out, but perhaps now isn't the time. Instead, knowing that this isn't a linchpin, but curious regardless, she tries to lift one to see what's beneath.
The ghostly octopus bloops a lap around the clearing, filling the air with silver mist that illuminates the surroundings with spectral light. The air here seems less heavy for its presence, but that in and of itself is not so reassuring, because now the gathered students notice that something was wrong before.
Before this realization comes, however, Jupiter is checking masks, and Eddy lights his fingers upon the heart. It glitters gold. It is the linchpin.
Beneath the mask, Jupiter finds the face of an ordinary woman, unfamiliar.
The air fills with tension, again.
Before this realization comes, however, Jupiter is checking masks, and Eddy lights his fingers upon the heart. It glitters gold. It is the linchpin.
Beneath the mask, Jupiter finds the face of an ordinary woman, unfamiliar.
The air fills with tension, again.
Edited 2020-06-08 17:55 (UTC)
The scene begins again around Merlin and Imogen. Through the cutout in the shoebox's side that serves as a door, the lovely pioppini muscheron enters. The russula glows with affection and adoration. The size of the love, it seems, has nothing to do with the size of the heart that feels it.
Behind the pioppini, the cut out in the cardboard box now leads somewhere else.
[MEMORY COMPLETE! Linchpin acquired! You can continue to thread here or head back to Peckenpaugh through the portal.]
Behind the pioppini, the cut out in the cardboard box now leads somewhere else.
[MEMORY COMPLETE! Linchpin acquired! You can continue to thread here or head back to Peckenpaugh through the portal.]
Edited 2020-06-08 18:02 (UTC)
At this point in the Hell Night Adventure, Armani looks like some sort of Space Prince who barely managed to escape from his war-torn home planet. His wreath of red crystals sits neatly on his head, but he's torn a strip of shimmery burgundy fabric from his cloak to make an eyepatch to cover his black eye.
Survive the Apocalypse, but make it Fashion.
"If my spouse-to-be tried flirting with Chanel like that, I would murder them," he notes casually, already moving in closer to start touching things. He slaps a hand on his head-of-house's spiral-bound planner.
Survive the Apocalypse, but make it Fashion.
"If my spouse-to-be tried flirting with Chanel like that, I would murder them," he notes casually, already moving in closer to start touching things. He slaps a hand on his head-of-house's spiral-bound planner.
The planner glows warmly under Armani's touch. Looks like he's found the linchpin!
"First try!" he boasts, holding the planner up. He's been touchin' things all night but this is the first time he's got it right the first time.
Edited 2020-06-08 19:02 (UTC)
Trudy hands Mary Grace her glasses, though she remains right over her shoulder, squinting. "Don't break them."
It takes a while to find the right angle, but once Mary Grace catches a sunbeam, the tree doesn't hesitate to start sparking and smoking. Blue light fills the Wildgulch symbol like a trail of lit gunpowder. A burst of energy shoots from her fingers to her toes, right up into her head where the feeling percolates, a shaken can of soda. Strength, inspiration, resolve. For a second, her whole body goes hot — so hot it melts Trudy's glasses. Whoops.
The magimagicicada who burns like a campfire brushes their fingers over the Wildgulch symbol and then freezes. The whole tree seems to glow from within, and the cicadas' screams pitch up to a deafening roar.
The magimagicicada who burns like a campfire brushes their fingers over the Wildgulch symbol and then freezes. The whole tree seems to glow from within, and the cicadas' screams pitch up to a deafening roar.
Edited 2020-06-08 19:22 (UTC)
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